The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for edge wrapping aircraft interior panels, especially stowbin doors, with TEDLAR decorative laminate.
The decorative surface of most interior parts is made of one or two sheets of decorative laminate molded with an embossing resin to give it texture. The decorative laminate is then molded and bonded to the part using a vacuum forming process. Vacuum forming, excess decorative laminate must be wrapped around and bonded to the backside of the panel to provide a good clean edge. This edge wrapping process is currently a relatively slow, hand operation involving heat guns and chemicals.
One method of mitigating edge wrap has been to eliminate it by bonding trim strips to the panels.
Workers applying the laminates today often wear heavy cotton gloves to insulate themselves from the heat of the heat guns and the hot decorative laminate. Some workers also wear respirators to protect from solvent cleaning fumes. There are also ergonomic issues with the stretching and pulling of the decorative laminate, as well pressing the decorative laminate down by hand. This process can cause wrist and arm problems as well as the problems with the heat guns.
During the vacuum forming process a fair amount of excess decorative laminate is needed to allow the decorative to stretch and form around complex curves. Excess decorative laminate is thrown away as waste. Using a silicone blanket allows the decorative laminate to be trimmed to almost net size on the edge wrap side, eliminating waste.
Automatic edge wrapping during the vacuum forming process uses mechanical actuation on a tool. The actuator raises the tool and the part leaving the edge exposed. A silicone blanket forms a seal on the top. The silicone blanket is sucked tightly to the surface around the edge. An alternative to using the silicone blanket is to use the decorative laminate (TEDLAR) itself as the seal, but care must be taken to avoid tearing or puncture of the decorative laminate.
The seal will usually bridge and make only minimal contact with the backside of the part. To finish the process, the mechanism holding the tool and part up is lowered allowing the decorative laminate to be drawn up on to the back of the part for bonding to pre-applied adhesive on the back of the part in the edge wrap area.